Boat-detaching apparatus



v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A 1". BLANDING. BOAT DETAGHING APPARATUS.

No. 557,475. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS BLANDING, OF PUTNAM, CONNECTICUT.

BOAT-DETACHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,475, dated March31, 1896. I

Application filed October 5, 1895. Serial No. 564,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS BLANDING, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Putnam, in the county of lVlIldllELIll and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBoat-Detaching Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for automaticallyreleasing the lowering-tackle from the connecting-rods carried by theboat when the latter rests upon the water.

lVith the above end in view the invention consists in providing the boatwith a cylinder opening through the bottom of the boat and provided witha piston, the piston-rod being connected to the detaching means so thatwhen the boat reaches the water the water will enter the cylinder andraise the piston to automatically release the lowering-tackle.

The invention further consists in providing the releasing mechanism witha catch for holding the same out of operative position and also in theapproved means for connecting the hoisting and lowering tackle to therods carried by the boat, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a plan view of a boat, showing the application of my inventionthereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is atransverse section. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the mechanismcarried by a seat or thwart of the boat, and Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of one of the brackets which are attached to the stemand stern posts of the boat.

A designates a cylinder which is attached to the bottom of the boat andis of sufficient height to extend a considerable distance above thewater-line. The cylinder is provided at its lower end with short tubes aa, which extend through the bottom of the boat to permit the water toenter the lower part of the cylinder for the purpose hereinafter setforth. Within the cylinder is located a piston B, which is provided witha piston-rod b, said piston-rod being connected at its upper end to oneend of a lever C, which is centrally pivoted toa bracket 0 dependingfrom the midship-thwart D of the boat.'

E designates a horizontally-swinging bar which is centrally pivoted tothe under side of the thwart D, and the ends of this bar pass throughslots in guide-plates F and G, which limit the swinging movement of saidbar. The guide-plate G has a depending portion g, to which is pivoted acatchplate H, the catch of which engages the bar E to hold the sameagainst the tension exerted by springs e c, which are attached to thethwart D and to the bar on either side of its pivot. The outer end ofthe catch-plate H is connected by a link h to the end of the lever Copposite that to which the piston-rod b is connected, so that when thepiston Bis raised in the cylinder A the catch-plate H will be operatedthrough the interposition of the lever C to release the barE and permitthe springs c to swing or turn the same upon its pivot for the purposehereinafter set forth.

I I designate rods which are connected to the ends of the swinging bar Eand extend along the inner side of the boat, one forward and the otheraft, the ends of the rods being bent, as shown, to extend on a line withthe keel and pass through staples or eyes d secured to the under side ofthe end thwarts D of the boat. The end thwarts D are each provided withan opening cl, through which the lower end or eye of the hoisting andlowering tackle pass to engage the ends of the rods I, one edge of theopening d being inclined or beveled, as shown at (1 to permit the end ofthe hoisting and lowering tackle to be swung over the ends of the rods Iwhen said rods are proj ected and held by the catchplate H, ashereinbefore described.

K K designate suitable brackets, one being attached to the stern-postand the other to the stem-post at a suitable distance beneath the endthwarts, and to these brackets are connected eyebolts L and L, theeyebolt L bein g held in a rigid upright position by lugs 7;. and itformed on the bracket, while the eyebolt L is allowed to swing in onedirection upon its pivot, being normally held in an upright position bya helical spring m, which is attached to the bracket and to thedepending end Z of the eyebolt. The outer ends of the rods I I passthrough the eyes of the bolts L and L, and when the eye of the hoistingand lowering tackle is connected to its rod it will lie between theeyebolts, so that the weight of the boat will come upon said eyebolts.The eyebolt L is pivoted to the bracket, so that it can be swung to oneside when it is desired to pass the eye of the hoisting and loweringtackle over the end 01' the rod I, as hereinbefore mentioned.

Though I have shown and described the bolts L and Las eyebolts, it isapparent that they could be substituted by U-bolts having eyes at theirlower ends through which the connecting-pins pass.

To the under side of the thwart D is pivoted a turn-button N, having abent end which is adapted to be turned against the swinging bar E toprevent said bar being accidentally turned by accidentally releasing thecatch II.

I have shown the device provided with a cylinder and piston, but it isobvious that any suitable mechanism may be substituted for these partsto operate the lever O by water entering the bottom of the boat.

The device hereinbefore described is automatic in operation, for as soonas the boat settles upon the water a quantity of the water will enterthe cylinder A through the openings a and pressing against the piston 13will raise the same, which, through its connection with the lever C,will operate said lever to release the catch-plate II from engagementwith the swinging bar E, thus allowing the springs e to turn the barwhich draws the rods I out of engagement with the hoisting and loweringtackle.

A device of this character operates much more efficiently and quickerthan a releasing mechanism operated by hand. Should the crest of a waveenter the cylinder before the boat is fairly settled upon the water, theweight of the boat would prevent the springs acting to withdraw therods.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic boat-detachingapparatus, the combination, of aspring-actuated swinging bar connected to rods to which thelowering-tackle is attached, a catch in en gagement with the swingingbar to hold it against the action of the springs, and meanssubstantially as shown for releasing the catch.

2. In a'boat-detaching apparatus, the combination, of a spring-actuatedswinging bar connected to rods to which the lowering-tackle is attached,a catch for holding the swinging bar against the action of the springs,and a water-chamber connected to the catch for operating the same by thewater-pressure when the boat is lowered, substantially as shown and forthe purpose set forth.

3. In a boat-detaching apparatus, the combination, of brackets K securedto the boat, eyebolts L and L connected to the brackets, the eyebolts Lbeing in swinging engagement with the brackets, rods I I adapted to passthrough the eyebolts to engage the loweringtackle together with aspring-actuated swinging bar E connected to the rods I, a catch forholding the bar against the action of the springs, and means forreleasing the bar when the boat settles upon the water, substantially asshown and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a boat-detaching apparatus, the combination with the end thwartshaving openings, one of the side walls of each opening being inclined orbeveled, of brackets K rigidly seeured to the boat, eyebolts L and Lattached to the bracket, one of the eyebolts having a swinging movement,springs for holding the swinging eyebolts in an upright position;together with a spring actuated swinging bar E, a catch for holding thebar against the action of the springs, and a float or piston connectedto the catch so as to re lease the bar when the boat rests upon thewater, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a boat-detaching apparatus, the combination, of brackets K havingupwardly-projecting eyebolts, rods I having bent ends which pass throughthe eyebolts, and a springactuated bar to which the rods I areconnected, said bar being pivoted to one of the thwarts; together with acatch-plate II adapted to engage the bar to hold it against the actionof the springs, a lever 0 connected to the catchplate, and a piston orfloat B connected to the lever, the parts being organized substantiallyas shown and for the purpose set forth.

(3. In combination with the brackets K havingupwardly-projectingeyebolts, of a springactuated bar E connected to rodswhich pass through the eyebolts, a catch-plate for hold ing the baragainst the action of the springs, means for operating the catch-plateto release the bar, and a turn-button adapted to hold the bar againstaccidental movement, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS ELANDING. Witnesses:

JOHN MURRAY, CHARLES L. Tonnnv.

